


24 days of Thryce drabbles

by Pepper (Zalt)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Advent Calendar Drabble, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-02 21:49:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 2,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16795402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zalt/pseuds/Pepper
Summary: As it says on the cover, 24 classic drabbles for the 2018 Thryce advent calendar, based on an assigned list of one word prompts. Any canon compliance is accidental.





	1. Water

Arihnda had long since stopped caring about Lothal’s sunsets. But as she waited in one of the hangars of the Imperial Dome for Thrawn to travel down from his flagship stationed above the city, her attention was caught by some new quality to the reddening daylight outside.

Walking to the edge of the hangar, she looked out over the still water of the harbor. It reflected the flame-red clouds perfectly – around a triangle of water from which rose the three serpentine heads of the _Chimaera_ , reaching for their mirror image above. As if to hold it in a fiery embrace.


	2. Slow

Thrawn clasps his hands at his back, looking down at the Imperial talking to him. All bluster and bragging and stalling, oh so desperate as they try to hide their stark failure under a wall of words and empty gestures.

It is pointless, of course. He already knows all their petty problems, their fumbling solutions, their guilty secrets. And he knows all the things they do not yet know. For lack of vision, from misplaced ambition, for letting their emotions interfere with their rationality. Pathetic.

He speaks slowly: "Do you know the difference between an error and a mistake, Governor?"


	3. Allow

Thrawn’s training room reminded Arihnda a little of the Yinchow dojo. Such a long time ago... She bowed formally.

"Thank you for allowing me to spar with you."

Thrawn returned the bow. "It will be my pleasure."

An assumption of victory, or a double entendre? She was still learning the extent of his sly sense of humor.

"Oh, the pleasure will be all mine, I assure you."

By the third round, she was bruised and breathing heavily, but he was moving with new respect and caution.

On the fifth round, she pinned him down. And victory turned into mutual pleasure.


	4. Shiny

Thrawn was led out of the chamber, leaving the Aristocras behind. As he was escorted over one of the soaring, latticed bridges spanning the largest subterranean city on Csilla he was painfully aware that every thing he saw, he saw for the very last time. The artful organic curves of the buildings. The shiny vaulted ceiling above, polished to reflect the light of a thousand lamps, like the memories of stars.

People were watching, from balconies and windows, families teaching their children the consequence of disobedience. The saddest farewell of all: Now he would never know love and family again.


	5. Singing

"It’s been screaming all night, I can’t stand it!" Arihnda looked exhausted and desperate.

"I’ll take care of her, get some sleep." Thrawn picked the baby up, cradling her. "We’ll take a little walk outside."

It was "night" on the _Chimaera_ , the corridors dark and quiet. Thrawn walked slowly, rocking his crying daughter. Medics, parents in the crew, what files they had – he had followed all suggestions in vain.

Except one. Seeking the most deserted corridors he knew, he glanced around. Then held the child close as he started softly singing an old song in Cheunh.

Soon after, she slept.


	6. Eventually

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #angst

There were no memorials to the dead from the Imperial Dome, only their victims.

When Talmoor and Elainye Pryce made their first and last visit to Lothal after the liberation, they quietly sought out a location well away from the city, near an abandoned mine.

By their old empty house there was a large, flat stone. They stood arm in arm, watching it, remembering the little girl who used to play there. Staging plays with her toys, pretending to be a famous singer. 

Eventually they left. And the sun set on the last memory of Arihnda Pryce, Governor of Lothal.


	7. Deep

Their first time together was hurried and awkward, a spontaneous tryst in Thrawn’s office when Arihnda was deep in the grips of despair and reached for any comfort and distraction with the fierce need of a drowning woman gasping for air.

The burst of pleasure faded too quickly after her climax. The edge of the desk was digging painfully into her skin, she was still half tangled in her clothing, and for a moment she considered pulling away, telling him to stop.

The moment passed. She pulled him closer, whispering encouragement and praise until he finished. Such a small concession.


	8. Light

His room was dark, as was the short corridor outside it. So even the opening door did not let light in.

It did not matter. Thrawn needed no external illumination to see the woman who entered.

The warmth of her body formed a familiar silhouette, moving with assurance towards his bed. It was most impressive, as she would truly be blind here.

She was radiant and beautiful, all the more so as there was no clothing obscuring the warmth of her body – intensifying now in a familiar, arousing pattern.

He spoke softly to guide her the last few steps.

"Arihnda."


	9. Steel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #pain

Arihnda saw her chance when the attention of the Rebels was riveted by the attacking Purrgil. Her last chance. She had to steel herself, this would hurt.

Bracing against the railing she was cuffed to, she pressed down on her thumb until something broke. Fortunately, the yells and confusion covered her involuntary sound of pain. She pulled her mangled hand free of the cuffs, and ducked behind a console to make her way out.

Luckily stormtroopers were outside, trying to break in. She released the lock, and ran for the shuttles under their cover. She had to reach the Chimaera.


	10. Wrist

They were still hurtling through hyperspace when Ezra Bridger weakened. The blast doors opened and the tentacles holding Thrawn loosened, both agonizingly slow. Stormtroopers entered with rifles at the ready.

"Hold your fire!" The collapsing Jedi was their only protection against vacuum.

Space reverted to black, the purrgil fell away, and Thrawn scrambled free. And with help he pulled Ezra out into the corridor, closing the blast door just in time.

Governor Pryce was among the stormtroopers, gingerly cradling her wrist.

Thrawn frowned at the unexpected sight. But he had worse problems now.

He would take care of her later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of day 9, a little nod to Walking the Rainbow.


	11. Sweet

Arihnda stayed behind at the Gilroy Plaza diner as Thrawn left. The risk of being seen leaving with him was insignificant, but she needed a minute to herself to think through what she had learned.

Sipping the remains of her drink, she watched him exit. The tinted glasses covering his eyes might deceive people into thinking him Pantoran, but neither glasses nor cowl hid his military bearing, the athletic build of his body, or the almost predatory grace of his steps.

She caught a drop running down the side of her glass and sucked it slowly from her finger. Sweet.


	12. Reception

The Governor’s residence was hosting a small but select reception, for high-ranking representatives of the Imperial military. The Governor herself spoke eloquently and warmly on the mutual benefits of cooperation.

Thrawn watched as she circulated among the visitors, exchanging pleasantries. There was a pattern to her movements. In the order she sought people out, the amount of time spent with them. He calculated silently, then tapped at his comm.

Pryce finally stopped in front of him. "Grand Admiral, I…" His comm beeped. "Oh, I do hope you won’t be leaving us?"

"Not at all, Governor. Just a reminder to myself."


	13. True

"Yes. I set off the explosives that destroyed the Creekpath mining complex."

Grand Admiral Pryce stared at Governor Thrawn in numb disbelief as he interrupted her carefully crafted line of inquiry about what had happened on the planet. A cold fury started to build inside her, though years of military discipline buried it behind a calm mask.

"My parents were down there. You knew that."

"Collateral damage, most regretful." There was no sincerity in his words.

"You will pay for this."

"No, Grand Admiral. I will be elevated. Again. The Emperor will be pleased."

And she knew it was true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A drabble isn't long enough for a rule 63 contemplation. But making a nod to a discussion on the discord about how Batonn would have differed.


	14. Achievement

Arihnda Pryce. Mistress Pryce. Well, that was as true as anything else, these days. Certainly more true than Governor Pryce.

Sighing, Arihnda stopped running her finger over her old insignia. Once her greatest achievement, now a useless reminder of former times.

She glanced between the drawer where she had kept it, and the trash disposal.

"I would suggest that you keep it."

Thrawn finished adjusting the cuff of the uniform jacket he had donned and walked over to her, closing his hand warmly around hers so her fingers wrapped around the insignia.

"You never know when it will be useful."


	15. Golden

Thrawn did not realize he had fallen asleep until he opened his eyes and saw the first hint of dawn light an unfamiliar room.

This was not usual. But neither was what had brought him to such a state of relaxed exhaustion.

He started to get out of bed, to be met with sleepy sounds of protest as the source of warmth beside him burrowed closer.

There were still a couple of hours until his scheduled check-in with the Chimaera. Relenting, he lay back down, fitting himself to Arihnda’s sleeping form until the golden sun rose and woke them both.


	16. Rope

The last tenday had been a series of disasters and interruptions, both large and small, even the most fleeting attempt to kiss appearing to trigger another crisis.

Their most recent attempt to deal with increasingly frustrated desire was interrupted by a bouncy toddler, who was hyper and overtired after a bad night.

When Thrawn returned from the sixteenth attempt at getting her to nap, Arihnda glowered. "I’ve run out of people to rope into babysitting."

Thrawn pondered. Then reached for his comm, and gave a quick order. "No ropes will be needed. Babysitting is now part of the duty roster."


	17. Drunk

After Arihnda Pryce had drunk the last of the caf, she sat for a while with her hands wrapped around the empty cup, looking down at it. Then she raised it one last time, to catch the fleeing aroma with a deep inhale, before resolutely rising to clean the cup and put it away.

That was it. No more caf, ever, unless the _Chimaera_ could find its way back home. Kriffing purrgils.

More than ever she wished she was back in Capital City on Lothal, safe and sound in the Imperial Dome with well-trained aides keeping her caf always refilled.


	18. Balanced

Krennic had won, all resources diverted to Stardust. Leaving Thrawn with what he had already built on Lothal. At least there were a fair amount of Defenders built, and fuel enough for a few months campaign. It might just be enough.

And then the news came from Lothal.

"I will deal with you when I return, _Governor,_ " he told the holo of the frightened Pryce, not hiding his anger.

Thrawn was aware of being out of balance. But the time for patience was past. He spent the rest of the journey planning in great detail how to deal with Pryce.


	19. Swim

The hot spring had a strange mineral scent to it. Alien, but not entirely unpleasant. Arihnda balanced on the edge, cautiously dipping a toe in to check the temperature. "Are you certain this is safe?"

Thrawn placed his hand reassuringly on her shoulder. "Entirely. Even for a thin-skinned human."

She squinted suspiciously at his innocent expression. Then pouted. "You are making fun of me."

Expecting gentle ribbing in return, she was surprised when he stepped behind her, embracing her gently. His voice was dark velvet as he murmured against her ear. "I would never allow harm to come to you."


	20. Parade

Arihda listened to Thrawn lecturing one of his aides. He was fond of parading his knowledge. She had been the victim of quite a few of his lectures before she started a campaign of preventative war.

By now Thrawn would probably know the most intimate detail of mining industry, practice and politics relevant to Lothal as well as herself, but she had barely gotten started yet on the intricacies of farming, taxation and fauna.

When Thrawn’s latest victim finally escaped and the Chiss turned to her, she was already pulling her datapad out. "Look at this interesting holo about Loth-cats!


	21. Imitation

Arihnda stared from one Thrawn to the other. "What, how… _why_ would you even have a clone?"

The Thrawns looked back. One replied. "Contingency backup. On a ten year timer, reset at intervals as a dead mans switch."

The other added helpfully. "In case of disaster. In case the galaxy needed our singular talent in face of overwhelming danger."

Arihnda sputtered. "Oh, I could barely survive even _one_ of your egos, what the kriff am I supposed to do with two of you?"

The Thrawns smiled, closing in on either side. "Oh, we are certain we can think of something."


	22. Exhausted

Thrawn’s lips were cool against her neck. Or perhaps she was just overheated. It had been a rather vigorous afternoon. And evening. And… was that morning light starting to penetrate the thin fluttering curtain leading out to the balcony?

Arihnda groaned as Thrawn’s hand started wandering again, drawing a tingling path down her spine, followed slowly by a series of kisses. "Oh, stars, it’s daybreak already. I’m exhausted!"

He placed a last kiss between her shoulderblades, hand coming to rest on her hip. "Shall we stop?"

They had such few, precious hours to themselves…

Arihnda turned over, voice husky. "No."


	23. True

Thrawn’s quarters were securely located within the body of the Chimaera, dim as was his preference. Currently they were lit by a projected hologram of a blue and white planet, floating serenely in space.

Arihnda looked through the holo at the blue and white man across from her. "I thought you promised to take me somewhere warm. That planet looks like an iceball."

"True. But appearances deceive."

Thrawn walked around the projector until he reached her, folding her into his arms, the red of his eyes glowing warmly in the dim light. "A cold exterior can hide a burning heart."


	24. Watching

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting a day early because of reasons. Happy holidays!

The _Chimaera_ had been caught in the nebula for a year, all days the same. So when a stirring in hyperspace told of the birth of a new star nearby, everyone was eager to gather where they had a view of space, watching for the first light to reach them.

Even Arihnda Pryce, making her way to the bridge despite Thrawn’s protests.

"I’m pregnant, not dying. And I want to see the star."

A burst of light filled the bridge to the sound of cheering. And a pained groan.

Thrawn looked at the hand gripping his arm. "Arihnda?"

"It’s time."


End file.
